After a deadly shooting at a Colorado clinic last week, Planned Parenthood locations across the state are meeting with authorities to ensure proper security measures are in place. Time Warner Cable News' Emily DeFeciani has more from the Albany health center.
Services ran as normal at Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood on its first business day open since three people were killed and nine more injured at a health center across the country.
"These situations are always awful. It could be a Planned Parenthood, a school," said Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood CEO Chelly Hegan. "Whenever you hear about these acts of violence, it is heartbreaking."
The incident happened at Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The alleged gunman, 57-year-old Robert Lewis Dear, has been arrested. While police have not yet released a motive, leaders at Planned Parenthood say the health centers have been targeted for decades. That's why Hegan says they have a number of security measures in place.
"We have bullet proof glass where necessary," Hegan said. "We have a lot of locks on doors. It's very difficult to just wander about our health centers."
Sunday, Governor Cuomo announced he will be taking further steps by increasing state police presence at the more than 60 Planned Parenthood health centers around New York. In a statement, he said "We are taking appropriate precautions and doing everything possible to prevent similar tragedies from taking place in our state."
"There's not a lot of governors around the country who are so quick to say 'we're here for you,' and we really appreciate that," Hegan said.
With more than 10,000 visits each year throughout the Capital Region, Chelly says safety is of utmost importance. And regardless of senseless acts of violence, she says Planned Parenthood will continue to provide for women and their families.
"We will keep our doors open and we're planning now for the second century of Planned Parenthood," Hegan said.